Lines 3137-3155
Recorded Version





Paraphrase

The Geat people built a pyre for Beowulf, built until it stood four-square. As Beowulf’s order, the Geat people placed Beowulf’s weapons and armor on the pyre. Then the warriors laid him in the middle of the pyre, waiting to burn the pyre. The pyre was burned with Beowulf; it was the hugest funeral fires. The dark smoke was everywhere, the fire burned and burned until the wind died down, burning up everything in the pyre. One Geat woman lamented Beowulf’s death. She finally stopped, and decided to let Beowulf leave. “Heaven swallowed the smoke,” Beowulf was gone.

Original Passage

The Geat people build a pyre for Beowulf,
The Geat people constructed a pyre for Beowulf,stacked and decked it until it stood four-square,built until it stood four-squarehung with helmets, heavy war-shieldsthe Geat people placed Beowulf's weaponsand shining armour, just as he has ordered.and armor on the pyre.Then his Warriors laid him in the middle of it,The warriors placed Beowulf in the middle of the pyre,mourning a lord far-famed and beloved.
the warriors were mourning Bewulf's death.
One a height they kindled the hugest of all
The fire was the hugest funeral fire in the history.
funeral fires; fumes of woodsmoke

There were smoke all over the place,
billowed darkly up, the blaze roared

dark, and the fire roared
and drowned out their weeping , wind died down

and drowned out their weeping, the wind was gone
and flames wrought havoc in the hot bone-house,

and the blaze wrought havoc in the pyre.
burning in to the core. They were disconsolate

The fire was burning and burning, they were doleful
and wailed aloud for their lord's decease.

and cried aloud for Beowulf's death.
A Geat woman too sang out in grief;

One Geat woman lamented Beowulf's death,
with hair bound up, she unburdened herself
with hair bound up, she finally let Beowulf go.of her worst fears, a wild litanyThe woman feared, a wild devotionof nightmare and lament: her nation invaded,of nightmare and misery: the nation was conquered,enemies non the rampage, bodies in piles,many died, and bodies were in piles,slavery and abasement. Heaven swallowed the smoke.people were enslaved, Heaven swallowed the smoke.